Of Feeling Whole
by rainonmonday
Summary: They should have come to terms with the simple fact they were not built to deal with emotional issues using a direct approach; they resorted to humor and sarcasm or anything to avoid it. / One-shot.


After the last episode, I came up with a little something. Hope you enjoy it.

* * *

**_Of Feeling Whole_**

He had to admit there was something _soothing_ about the way they bickered. It was like a well-oiled machine without which they generally got into more drama than intended. They should have come to terms with the simple fact they were not built to deal with emotional issues using a direct approach; they resorted to humor and sarcasm or anything to avoid it.

And it was not like he could get over Vivian so quickly. Wade had honestly believed he had a good thing going on, but should have known better. He never turned out the winner whenever there was another guy in the picture. One night stands he could do, but something more was apparently asking too much.

"Morning, Doc."

Zoe was just climbing down the steps of her _home_ in those ridiculous high heels she had always refused to give up on only because she needed to walk on gravel on a daily basis.

He leaned on the shovel and she smiled a little. She obviously realized that he had already covered the hole in which he had been twisting his ankle at least four times a day for the past week.

"Wade. What are you doing?"

"You see, there's this annoying little thing that yaps-yaps-yaps twenty-four seven but is incapable of picking up a shovel." He frowned, shaking his head in disapproval. "So _I_ always have to pick up her mess."

"My mess?"

"Oh, I said nothing of those sorts," he replied, faking feeling insulted. "But if the shoe fits."

Only glaring at him, Zoe kept on walking. Wade snickered and waited until he heard a shrill scream.

"Wade!" Zoe bellowed.

"Oh, yeah. I had to cover _this_ hole, so there's a new one over there." He started his way to her. "You're going to have to watch where you're going."

...

Drowning his sorrows in alcohol had been just a momentary solution that thanks to Lemon's company and advice hadn't been as pathetic as it was back in the day when another petite brunette had broken his heart. There was a big hole there, not only the cracks and scars after the breakage.

In true mature Wade's fashion, he had instead decided to stay away from the drama and just focus on the Rammer Jammer that after that pretty sweet review in Walter Wallen's blog, was booming. A lot of people passing by stopped for a meal since the prices were cheaper than Fancie's and the atmosphere was so... picturesque.

Zoe strutted in at lunch time, looking around and seeing all tables were occupied, so she sat at the bar.

"Business is doing well," she commented as she deposited her bag in front of her.

"Well, you know," Wade replied, shrugging a shoulder. "Hard work pays off."

"Who would have guessed?" She told him with humor and opening those warm brown eyes wide.

"I know!" he hissed before they shared a laugh.

But even if they could laugh, and even if they fought with the same passion of always, that did not mean she was a hundred percent healed as well. They both had taken pretty nasty blows in the romantic department that year.

"So I've been thinking," she started after Wanda had served her and he toweled some glasses near-by. "You should get back in the horse."

"What about you?" he snorted, slightly angry that she was taking decisions for him like usual, as if he did not know what was best for him.

"I have dated after Joel."

"And look how that turned out." Wade did not mean to be cruel, but she had always rushed into things and most times that had meant even more trouble and much less resolution. Not for the first time he wondered if they had taken the traditional dating approach, what would have happened between them. And soon he was reminded that he had destroyed everything over insecurities.

"You're right," Zoe babbled. "So I was about to propose we go together as friends to Mobile, and see if we meet people. Just have fun!"

"Fun?"

"Yeah!" She wiggled in her seat, making him snort a laugh. "Dance, have drinks, dress up."

"You _do_ know I'll wear jeans and plaid."

"Maybe _new_ jeans and clean work boots," she offered.

"Still, I don't see us being buddies and having a night out together."

"It'll be nice," she said in an overly peppy mood. "Wanda, doesn't Wade need a night out?"

"Oh, please! He's been overworking for the last couple of weeks. It's starting to suck all the fun from working here." The vivacious red-head replied not censoring her thoughts.

Wade made a face, eyes wide and opening and closing his mouth like a fish while Zoe giggled.

"Okay, I think it's settled." Zoe grinned after popping a fry in her mouth.

Sighing, Wade gave in. "Pick you up, Friday night?"

...

Being friends was a foreign concept for them when referring to the other. They had never tried to be friends. They had just jumped into being _friends with benefits_ at one point, but Zoe doubted it had the same intention as it had right then.

She was honestly worried about Wade. Witnessing how his heart shattered in front of her, feeling guilty about it, had been horrible. Once or twice she had wondered if that had been his reaction when she did not come back to Bluebell after his heart-felt confession of love. Had she broken his heart that badly? Had Vivian fixed it only to stomp on it again? That was why she had tried to fix it somehow, but she meant it as a friend. Only a friend.

They would never work out as a couple, right? They had fun and explosive chemistry in bed, but their insecurities had been so evident.

He glanced at her as he drove and she could not help but to smile and blush at that smirk, just like that stormy night years before that led them to bed.

She could not fall under his charm. Problem was this time he was not even trying.

They arrived at a bar where Wade promptly said hi to the bartender-slash-owner, a gorgeous bombshell that even in her presence did not try to tone down the flirting.

"New girl, huh? Guess the last one did not work out."

Wade shrugged at the question, more than a little uncomfortable.

"We are just friends," Zoe chimed in. "Friends having fun."

"Oh," the blonde grinned slyly at Wade, looking him up and down. "That's good. Maybe you could come visit, friend-less next time," she said before winking and sauntering away.

Zoe waited a moment before telling him, "Well, it seems like you don't need help with getting back in the horse or should I say the b-"

He limited himself to chuckle and lift her drink to shut her up with it.

Despite that, they had fun. Unfortunately, or not, they were too wrapped up in each other, refusing invitations to dance or ignoring little flirty gestures.

"I know!" Zoe laughed, snorting which made him laugh. "He had half of our cabinet full of allergy medication. And I can understand that as a city girl and a doctor, but Joel was... he's just not cut out for this."

"It's like Vivian and the constant talk about children at school and her son, it's like adult fun was just a plus. Nothing too naughty when we were alone."

"And you love naughty!" Zoe said a little too loudly so the guy next to her shot her a look.

Wade did not care and just leaned back. "I do. I really do."

They laughed together, and soon Zoe was tugging at his arms trying to take him to the dance floor. "C'mon! Just one song."

"I do not dance."

"Yes, you do. Badly, but you do." Zoe pouted and stood there, waiting patiently until he rolled his eyes and acquiesced.

They danced to a couple of up-tempo songs, laughing and teasing each other. But then arrived that time of the night when the DJ decided to give a little push to the buzzed couples and courage to the shy people by playing a more mellow song.

It should've scared them to fall so easily into each other's arms. For Zoe it was just like falling into comfort when she pressed the side of her face to that place on his chest while his hand circled her waist.

She hummed. "This feels nice."

"It does," he murmured, his breath tickling her ear. Her embraced tightened on him. "But maybe we should go home."

"You can't drive. You've been drinking."

"Not as much as you."

She snorted a laugh. "No, but still. Maybe we should spend the night here."

"Maybe."

...

He was half convinced that they only needed one room with two beds.

"We're adults! We have self-restraint and are perfectly capable of sharing a room," Zoe argued firmly in the cab that took them to a little motel nice enough so the sheets were clean and the old lady behind the counter was half-asleep watching recorded soap operas instead of B-class movies or porn.

They took a room, walked slowly towards it. At first, they were in the mood to laugh and make jokes about other patrons at the bar, but then their voices started to quiet down and when he fumbled with the key, Wade felt her pulling him by his leather jacket.

Her lips were as soft and demanding as he remembered. She tasted like vodka and cherries, or heaven and hell.

Wade kissed back but pulled away for a second, searching in her eyes as she looked at him, still in tiptoes waiting for him. He dove into a more brief contact but of a wilder nature, quickly turning into a soft kiss full of memories. This time he retreated as he caressed her face, tucking her hair behind the ears.

Opening the door, he motioned for her to get in. She did, but quickly realized he was not following.

He pecked her forehead and smiled sadly at her.

"Good night, Z." He was not about to repeat the same mistakes. He did not want to see regret in the morning and know he had screwed things up one more time, because if there was a chance, even the smallest of them, he wanted to make it right.

She smiled forlornly but nodded, comprehending things even through the haze of alcohol. "Night, Wade."

He rented another room and looked at the ceiling for too long before falling asleep dreaming of slow songs, smiles and soft kisses.

...

They drove to Bluebell in silence next day. They had barely shared a few words and it was all jokes, ignoring the big elephant sitting between them in Wade's car. It wasn't until they arrived to the plantation that they decided to address the previous night.

"I don't want this to ruin our friendship," Zoe murmured.

"Is there a friendship to ruin? I don't think we have ever been able to be friends... just friends."

She fidgeted in her place, just outside the car. He was at the other side, looking at her across the roof of his car.

"Why couldn't this be easy?"

"We're complicated, why would this be any different?" Wade replied, folding his arms on the roof. He smirked. "I- I've loved you for too long. I tried to bury it by having another relationship and it did not work. We never had closure and-"

"I'm sorry for hurting you," Zoe interrupted. "But I cannot just jump into this like last time, as much as I want it."

"I know," he muttered.

"So can we start as friends? Can we date and do it right this time? No lies, no holding things back, and talking to each other."

He walked around the car and hugged her tight. "Slow. We'll take thing slow."

"Good."

"Now let's go and have breakfast at Lavon's. I'm starving." He was back to his usual comic self.

"Hung over," she babbled and linked their hands together. "I'm just as hungry."

They started walking towards Lavon's, holding hands in a casual manner, smiling. That was until Wade stepped into the infamous hole, tripping, falling and pulling Zoe with him. She fell on top of him and even if they cursed loudly, they took a long time to stand up since they broke into a fit of laughter.

"Stupid hole!"

"I don't know. I kind of like it." Wade waggled his brow.


End file.
